Carmilla Karnstein
Carmilla Karnstein is a 335 year old vampire and student at Silas University. She became Laura Hollis' roommate after Laura's previous roommate, Betty, went missing under mysterious circumstances. ﻿ Information Personality Possessing a sarcastic disposition, Carmilla is strong willed and melancholic. Often preferring to keep distant from others, it is rare for her to make friends with people. A philosophy student, she enjoys reading, and owns a phone and at least two social media accounts. She maintains a laid back, "punk rock" lifestyle, and mainly dresses in black outfits, specifically corsets and leather pants. Carmilla places little importance on cleanliness, often failing to clean up after herself. She has a very loose conception of private property and personal ownership, taking whatever she wishes from others without regard to their feelings on the matter. Underneath her sarcastic and cold behaviour, Carmilla is insecure and possesses a soft side, which is displayed most prominently in her relationship with Laura Hollis, her friend and former romantic partner. She also has a considerable temper, which flares up when someone she cares about is hurt, after repeated failures, or when anger is necessary for success. Abilities Carmilla has demonstrated supernatural speed and strength, as well as pyrokinesis. Her shapeshifting powers were confirmed when she transformed into a "giant black cat." She is hinted to have the potential for a power similar to her sister Mattie's supersonic scream. History Early Life Born Mircalla in Styria, Austria in 1680, Carmilla lived a wealthy, privileged life with her upper-class parents. At the age of 18, she was murdered at a ball and subsequently resurrected as a vampire by her "mother," a vampire. During this time period, she was engaged to Baron Vordenberg's great-great-grandfather. When she transformed into a vampire, he hid her and "protected" her. It was later revealed that he had taken Carmilla's mostly dead body before she had awoken and kept her locked up. She eventually escaped her cell, killing his loved ones and family in revenge, and left him to die alone. Centuries later, this mistake would come back to haunt her. Carmilla and her vampire mother travelled together. They frequently attended high society events at palaces and courts, returning to Styria once every 20 years to perform a ritual at her mother's behest. Pretending to be the victim of abandonment or a carriage accident, Carmilla would take shelter with the family of a young girl. She would befriend, and often seduce, the girl. Her mother would then abduct the girl for her own unknown purposes, and they would leave for their next destination. This cycle was broken in 1872, when Carmilla fell in love with Ell, one of her mother's intended victims. Unwilling to kill her, Carmilla tried to orchestrate their escape, but her mother discovered the plan and revealed her vampiric nature to Ell. Thinking Carmilla to be a monster, Ell rejected their love and abandoned the plan. She was then abducted by Carmilla's mother. Utterly broken by Ell's rejection, Carmilla gave up hope and was imprisoned in a coffin filled with blood for both her failure and display of weakness. For decades, she remained in the coffin until the Second World War, when explosives used during the conflict, likely during the period of 1944 and 1945, disinterred her coffin. She broke free. Rediscovered in Paris sometime during the post-war era of the 1950's, Carmilla was returned to work under her mother's guidance, now at Silas University. There, the cycle of victimizing young women resumed, and Carmilla reprised her role - this time, posing as a student. The memory of Ell's death haunted Carmilla and she changed her strategy, focusing instead on driving away would-be victims while attempting to discover the truth behind the disappearances of the previous victims. Becoming the Inquisitor In the present day, The Dean learned of a party incident that resulted in her appointing Carmilla to be her personal inquisitor of the event. Confronting the likeliest perpetrators, Lola Perry and Melanippe Callis, she told them to just fess up, regardless of guilt, so she could move on. Perry however, persuaded her to do her job properly, citing potential trouble if one of them was falsely accused and the real instigator became known afterwards. Contacting WIlson Kirsch, he explained his perspective on the matter, which led to Carmilla grudgingly working with the trio. Despite this, she threatened to break bones if answers weren't given in an hour. When Kirsch began moaning in pain, she went down to his location to silence him. Shortly afterward, she returned with proof that the duo are onto something. Pointing out that Perry was quite correct about the situation, she accused her of being the perpetrator and promptly prepared to torture her. Perry responded by offering to cast a spell to see if anyone in the room had recent contact with a supernatural being. When the spell fails, Carmilla taunts Perry over her lack of magical aptitude, and just decides to interrogate everyone for the reasoning behind their attendance to the party. Perry points out that the Zeta Omega Mu, the resident fraternity, might have something to do with the incident, and Carmilla decides to go to Kirsch for information. Receiving what she believes to be needed, she goes to inform The Dean, only to find the door is sealed in ways that prevent her from leaving. Knowing full well that the Zetas are far too interested in wild parties and girls to possibly have time to devote to formation and harnessing of magical prowess, she determines that neither Perry, Mel nor the Zetas are behind the incident. Kirsch is heard yelling and an opening of the computer connection reveals that the Zeta in question now has donkey ears. Learning a magical being is behind the events, Carmilla and Perry attempt to confront her. The incident leaves Perry traumatized into disliking magic and causes Mel to undergo a radical change of personality. Before defeating the creature, she informs Carmilla that a "shrill thing" will one day challenge her, something she brushes off. Return to Silas Sometime after the incident with the Fairy Queen, Carmilla is called back to Silas by the Dean to capture and eliminate new targets, the victims being Natalie, Sarah Jane, Elsie and Betty. Carmila helps Natalie and Sarah Jane escape, but Betty is subsequently captured. Carmilla returns to her routine of playing as a student and subsequently takes Betty's place, finally meeting the "shrill thing" the Fairy Queen foretold, newcomer student and freshman Laura Hollis. Initially clashing due to behavioral and habitual differences, Carmilla and Laura soon form an oddballed bond, something which leads to considerable agitation on Laura's part when her own friends arrive to point out Carmilla's behavior. Eventually, Laura discovers that Carmilla is a vampire when the latter makes the mistake of leaving blood in a milk carton, and Carmilla admits her status as a vampire. Carmilla also discovers that Laura is having nightmares, these of which are beacons to the other students that will be seized by the vampires. Laura is given a dried bat wing that will hide her signal from the other vampires, but their lack of trust results in Laura refusing to wear it. Carmilla is invited to a party by Laura, which is also doubling as a trap to capture the erstwhile vampire. Carmilla however, manages to dodge the trap by taking the part into their dorm room, where she realizes that Laura is not wearing the charm. Carmilla realizes during the subsequent discussion that she is falling for Laura, much like how she fell for Ell centuries earlier. Attempting to stave off her feelings, she gives in and attempts to kiss Laura, only for Danny Lawrence and her friends to arrive. Believing Carmilla to be attempting to murder Laura, they assault her and succeed in their goal in capturing Carmilla. Now believing that the threat is over, they are proven horribly wrong when Sarah Jane is ejected out a window in a freak accident and killed. Revelations Subjected to an interrogation by the "Dimwit Squad" as Carmilla calls them, Laura and the group decide to starve Carmilla in hope she will break. Several days later, Carmilla goes into a convulsion over the lack of sustenence, leading Laura to give her blood. Laura learns from Carmilla that she was truly flirting with her and not setting her up to be another victim. Finally broken, Carmilla reveals the truth behind the entire incident. She reveals her past, detailing her relationship with Ell and how Laura and her now deceased lover had similarities that made her fall in love with Laura. She goes on to reveal that the Dean is her mother, and though Laura takes Carmilla's side, Danny and the others refuse to let Carmilla ally with them and leave her imprisoned. Carmilla's brother Will arrives and sets Carmilla free, promptly attacking Laura, and though Laura puts of a struggle she loses almost immediately. Carmilla intercedes and incapacitates Will, forcing him to flee. Carmilla bites Laura and takes blood from her in order to gain strength to chase down Will. While Laura panics as a result of the bite, Carmilla chases down Will, but ultimately fails to seize her brother. She comes back and declares her intentions to flee, only for Laura to tell Carmilla to stay, which she does. The following day, LaFontaine and Perry discover Carmilla has gone free, causing both to panic and go for Danny. LaFontaine stays long enough to be convinced that Carmilla is now an ally, but Danny arrives and engages Carmilla in a lopsided fight that leaves Danny about to be asphyxiated. Only Laura's interference results in Carmilla sparing Danny. Carmilla and Laura build a friendship from then on, which leads to Laura being protected by Carmilla multiple times. LaFontaine and Perry reveal that a trend was set by previous girls who went missing, each one of them became fond of partying, and subsequent investigation by LaFontaine leads to Carmilla storming off. She returns while Laura is having a nightmare and the subsequent vision Laura receives reveals that "the light is hungry", realizing that the library is their next destination. Getting Closer to the Truth The following day, the trio return from the library after an interesting night, having acquired a Sumerian text about the "Light Gods", along with the digital consciousness of J.P. Armitage, who was imprisoned within the library. When LaFontaine departs, Laura asks Carmilla about why she accompanied the duo to the library, hoping to discover her motivation behind joining them. Despite Carmilla's evasive answer, Laura deduces that Carmilla wishes to find out the fate of her previous lover, Ell. Carmilla rebuffs the statement by declaring that Laura shouldn't expect heroics from her, only for Laura to rebuff that statement by pointing out that if Carmilla doesn't want to be a hero, she needs to stop acting like one. The following day, Perry shows up, demanding to know LaFontaine's location, only to realize that LaFontaine was kidnapped by the vampires. Laura blames herself for LaFontaine's abduction, only for Carmilla to stop her mid-breakdown, citing it isn't her fault. When they attempt to inform Kirsch about Will's true nature as a vampire he shruggs it off, believing Will to be a true Zeta and not a vampire. Carmilla and Laura discuss the parties that have occurred recently, and eventually the two of them dance, with Laura displaying more attraction to Carmilla. A day later, Perry cleans obsessively as a way of dealing with her best friend being abducted. During this time, Carmill and Laura continue research on the ongoing vampire threat, becoming distracted when Perry knocks blood onto a book, revealing through the text that a creature named Lophiiformes is involved. It is deduced from the newly received information that Lophiiformes devours five virgins every twenty years, and this pattern corresponds to the Dean's actions. Connecting this to the parasites that infected the other girls and the dates of the parties, the group deduces that the time to the sacrifice is getting closer. Breaking the Cycle Following a disastrous conversation with Danny, Laura dons a necklace she believes to have been a gift from Carmilla. J.P. informs the group of a weapon they will need, the Blade of Hastur. The weapon however, is only accessible underwater, and Carmilla goes to retrieve it, as her undead state allows her to remain submerged without need for diving gear or oxygen. Laura states that Carmilla is doing it for herself, while Carmilla says she's doing it for Laura. Carmilla then takes notice of the necklace and realizes it's a trap, attempting to get it off seconds too late. Now possessed by The Dean, Carmilla confronts her mother in Laura's body, being forced into a choice. Either she and Laura cease their attempts to stop her or Laura and Kirsch will be sacrificed. Carmilla, without a choice, agrees to her terms, and The Dean returns control of the body to Laura. Carmilla attempts to cover the truth behind the incident, but as Laura's camera was still operational, she swiftly discovers the truth and tells Carmilla to leave, stating that if all she wanted to do was go, she can do so. Carmilla promptly bails, and remains unaware that Laura fully intends on going through with her plans. Carmilla returns sometime later, finding out through the video logs that Laura and Perry went to rescue the sacrifices. Danny arrives, having received a message from Laura regarding the Lustig Building and a need for stakes. Carmilla realizes what's going on and orders Danny to rally the Summer Society and the Zetas to battle. She seizes the Blade of Hastur and joins the fight to save her friends. Sacrifice Carmilla learns that in her absence, Laura and the others had managed to sustain injuries of varying severity, while managing to kill Will, an act later attributed to Perry, but Lophiiformes subdued the entirety of the group with it's light. Carmilla turns into her giant cat form and saves Laura, knocking the Dean into the pit during the ensuing struggle. She sees Ell for the first time in centuries, and after a heartfelt moment with Laura, throws herself into the pit, sword in hand to bring down the light. Carmilla's sacrifice enables the group to escape. Return and Revival Several days later, a distraught Laura is seen remembering Carmilla via recordings, whom she presumed dead following the battle. Mid-video, the door is opened, with Danny hurriedly coming inside with Carmilla's body. She explains that Kirsch and his "frat bros" were messing around near the pit when they found Carmilla's body, and they took it to Laura in hopes she can save the woman. Having successfully saved her, Laura and Carmilla spend a few moments awkwardly staring at one another before they share their first kiss, beginning their romantic relationship in earnest. The moment is soon interrupted when LaFontaine arrives, asking the one question they forgot to ask the whole time. While The Dean is defeated, her body fell into the pit. LaFontaine ponders the ramifications of knocking a powerful vampire into a pit with a creature that draws power from consuming bodies, and just as she does so, the alarms ring. Category:Characters Category:Vampire Category:Supernatural Beings Fleeing Silas Escaping the wrath of Lophiiformes, Carmilla, Laura, LaFontaine and Perry escape Silas through the woods, wandering about in the mountains for some time. During this time period, the group deals with the fact they are largely unprepared for long-term mountain survival, while Carmilla confronts her vampire nature and the ensuing issue, specifically, the blood she needs to survive is in short supply. Reaching a small town roughly around Christmas, the group decides to spend the holiday there in order to avoid the weather. Carmilla, however, quickly agitates the residents when she attacks the mayor to drink his blood, something which iresults in a mob attacking them. Fleeing into a diner, LaFontaine and Perry question why the previously bloodthirsty mob has since backed off while Carmilla and Laura attempt to cheer each other up. Being greeted by a woman known as Mama Klaus, they accept the treats the woman offers. The treats oddly coincide with their personal tastes, something which Carmilla believes to be incredibly suspicious. The others shrug off Carmilla's warnings while Mama Klaus explains the history of the diner. As LaFontaine and Perry realize they can't stop eating, Mama Klaus reveals that she intends on eating the four women, and goes after Laura first. Carmilla chides Laura on her carlessness in not realizing the truth, and after being called upon to help, turns into her animal persona and kills Mama Klaus, something which also scares the mob outside away entirely, in addition to providing Carmilla the blood she wanted initially. At some point afterwards, the group returns to Silas. Second Semester and A New Threat Carmilla and the gang return to Silas, where Carmilla threatens a group of Psychology TA's to leave the Dean's old apartment, though Carmilla keeps this a secret from Laura and the others. After returning, Carmilla catches Laura doing another video and attempts to distract her, this works for a while until Perry arrives covered in blood. Perry tells them of her visit to the Voice of Silas, a newspaper group, and how they were brutally murdered. This causes to Carmilla's chagrin for Laura to begin investigating the murders. During this time, Carmilla spends most of her time chilling out and reading her books, but now and then helps Laura with her investigating . Carmilla starts getting frustrated with Laura, when Laura decides to make Carmilla the focus of her saving the campus ideals, pointing out that it was Carmilla that saved the school. Carmilla confronts Laura about this, but they get distracted when Perry arrives with blood written over her. Realizing that something big is happening, the group do more research but after LaFontaine & Perry leave, Laura and Carmilla talk about how Laura has been treating Carmilla. The two make up and decide to have a date in the Solarium, they have a race which Carmilla wins and it is assumed sleep with each other. Big Sister The next day, Carmilla leaves the room for a while to get changed and when she comes back, she finds that her older sister, Mattie is back and hugs her, despite the fact that Mattie was there to kill Laura due to her killing the Dean. Carmilla convinces Mattie to spare Laura, in which Mattie realizes that Carmilla has once again fallen for one of the marks, hinting that Laura and Ell wasn't the only ones that Carmilla has fallen for. Mattie then demands that Laura change the tone of her SNN Broadcasts and then drops the big bomb, that Laura and the gang have been staying in the Dean's Old Apartment. This causes Laura to confront Carmilla about it but Carmilla shrugs it away, when Laura tells the others about where they are living, LaFontaine guesses it in one go, hinting that they had figured it out a while ago. Things escalate soon after, when Mattie has books from the Library sold, which in turn makes the Library vanish, cancels the Adonis Festival for the Summers and takes apart the brewing tanks of the Zeta's everyone but Carmilla starts arguing over it at Mattie. Mattie silence's them when she uses a scream. Mattie leaves telling them that she is only doing it to finance the school. She leaves after that. Everyone then starts to decide what to do which leads to an argument between Carmilla and Danny, in which the latter puts forth the idea to kill Mattie, in which Carmilla threatens to kill Danny if she does that. Later on that day, the others find mention that the Voice of Silas kids were investigating the board and assume that Mattie killed them to stop investigating, but with no proof they need to find a way to get her to talk. They then look to Carmilla. Relationships The Dean-''' Although the dean adopted her after she was turned, they seem to have a very abusive relationship. The dean is her adopted "mother". Their relationship deteriorated to the point of no return after the dean threatened Laura. Mattie told Carmilla that everything the Dean did was for Carmilla, "only the best for her little kaiserin". 'Laura Hollis-' At first Carmilla disliked Laura and planned on giving Laura over to her mother, but as their relationship progressed she began to care for her greatly. Their relationship became romantic at the end of season one. They are in a relationship by the end of the first season and entering the second. During the second season, Carmilla breaks up with Laura after Laura is unwilling to listen to her protest to her going against her sister who she loves dearly. Carmilla even professes her feelings to Laura but they are not returned. Despite breaking up and going back to her care-free ways, Carmilla has shown that she still cares for Laura, defending her from Mattie. Eventually the two reconciled their differences and began working together again. The two eventually shared a kiss with each other but Laura stopped it from advancing any further and told Carmilla they can't but both agree to discuss it further after they have dealt with the upcoming evil. After Danny kills Mattie, thanks to Laura who told Danny her weakness which Carmilla had told Laura, Carmilla discovers that Laura had betrayed her trust and filled with rage, threatens everyone that if anyone goes near her she will kill them including Laura. Despite this after at first denying Laura her assistance when Laura begs for help, Carmilla decides to help but is unable to get in contact with her as she is stopped from talking to Laura by Perry. The two reunite after Carmilla is captured by Vordenberg. Laura breaks her own morals when she kills Vordenberg to save Carmilla. Carmilla helps her and LaFontaine escape to the library. It seems as Carmilla has forgiven Laura as she is trying to cheer her up. The two then work out that the Dean is alive. When Laura tries to find a way out of the library she falls into Carmilla's arms in which the two stare at each other showing that the two still have feelings for one another. It is obvious that Carmilla still has feelings for Laura when she tries to cheer up Laura when the latter grows somber after seeing her friends and wondering what has happened to them. 'Danny Lawrence-' Carmilla holds great dislike for Danny, both due to Danny's over-protectiveness of Laura and her animosity towards Carmilla. She is also likely jealous of Danny because of Laura's previous crush on Danny and calls her by the nickname of "Xena." Carmilla is also distrustful of Danny, fearing that she will give her and Mattie up when they are being hunted, this is proven true when Danny gives them up to Vordenberg. Carmila's dislike for Danny soon changes to pure hate when Danny kills Mattie and Carmilla almost kills her until Laura intervened. Despite her hatred for Danny, Carmilla is shocked when she discovers that Danny is dead. 'Will-' Will is Carmilla's younger adopted vampire brother, another "child" of the Dean, resurrected in the 1930s. She seems to dislike him. He is killed by Perry when she stakes him during the fight under the Lustig. When LaFontaine places J.P.s conscious into Will's body, Carmilla questions him, whether there is a part of Will still in the body. Other than this she seem's unconcerned that Will's body has been reanimated with another consciousness. 'Matska Belmonde- '''Matska is Carmilla's older adopted vampire sister. She seems to have much more of a familial bond toward Matska compared to Will or The Dean. Despite their close relationship Carmilla refused to let Mattie kill Laura for killing the Dean. Mattie did agree to leave Laura alone for Carmilla's sake, albeit she did so reluctantly. They have a deep bond that goes back 300 years, the entirety of Carmilla's life as a vampire. Mattie is one of the few people Carmilla genuinely cares for. Sometimes they do annoy each other, or do not see eye to eye, but that does not change their relationship. Carmilla inadvertently has Mattie killed when her trust is broken by Laura who tells Danny how to kill Mattie, which Carmilla had told Laura in confidence. Mattie dies in Carmilla's arms which put Carmilla over the edge. [[Baron Vordenberg|'Baron]]' Vordenberg'- Baron Vordenberg states that Carmilla was promised to his great-great-grandfather and that he loved her. And when she became a monster he hid her, and protected her. After which Carmilla killed all of his family and all those he loved leaving him to die alone and dishonored. The truth though is revealed in which the Baron's ancestor had in fact dug up Carmilla's body and imprisoned her for many years. Carmilla escaped and got vengeance by killing his family. Carmilla though knows that Baron Vordenberg is a liar and is not surprised when he goes back on his word in not killing the Anglerfish. After being captured by Vordenberg's forces, he decides to make a spectacle about her execution, and when he mentions how now she will regret not marrying his ancestor, but she reacts like she doesn't care. Before he can kill her, Laura destroys the Silas Charter thus killing Vordenberg. Quotes "Carmilla. I'm your new roommate, sweetheart." "And do you really think you're doing a lick of actual good? Do you know anything you didn't know the day before she vanished? You're a child. And you understand nothing. Not about life. Not about this place. And certainly not about what it takes to survive in a world that - you know what? The sooner you stop playing Lois Lane, the better off you'll be." "What the frilly hell is this?" "Posterity doesn't care. I should know. I live in it." "Don't you look like a virgin sacrifice." "Maybe I don't feel like sharing you right now." "Naive, provincial girl. Entirely too tightly wound. Such a cliché." "Look, if I were really a vampire would I just sit here tied up, proclaiming my innocence as some sort of trick?" "Buckle up, creampuff." "Partners were face to face. Chest to chest. All of that um, whirling. In 1698 it may as well have been sex." "Don't start expecting heroic vampire crap from me, cupcake." "Posterity can bite me, I have better things to do." "PG-13. How incredibly dull." Social Media Official Accounts Twitter Tumblr Trivia * Despite being the title character, Natasha Negovanlis has not appeared in every episode of Carmilla. * She is the first character to be brought back to life after dying. Original Novella Her character is based on Carmilla, aka Millarca, aka Mircalla, Countess Karnstein in LeFanu's original novella. Carmilla is described as beautiful, with rosy skin and long hair, but is constantly weak and tired as if from illness. Knocked unconscious by a carriage crash, she stays with Laura's family after her mother has to leave her. She always locks her bedroom door at night and is never seen before the afternoon. She and Laura become fast friends, though she occasionally slips into funny moods where she talks "wild nonsense" about love and dying. She becomes infatuated with Laura, despite the fact that Laura is uncomfortable with her advances. (It should be noted that this infatuation is not love, as later in the story it is revealed that a vampire will occasionally seduce its victim to convince itself that it's giving them a choice, much like a rapist deludes himself into thinking that his victim "really wants it.") Carmilla is finally revealed as a vampire when General Spielsdorf, Laura's family's closest neighbor, recognizes her as the same monster that killed his niece Bertha. They track down her grave in the ruins of the chapel of the Karnstein family, where she is found asleep in her coffin, floating in blood. A stake is driven through her heart, her head is removed, and she is burned and her ashes scattered in a river. (Though at this point in vampire literature this was by no means a guarantee that the bloodsucker was truly dead. Something as simple as a drop of blood or a beam of moonlight was enough to resurrect pre-Dracula vampires.) It is later revealed that when she became a vampire at the turn of the 17th century, her lover took it upon himself to hide her grave in order to prevent her from being destroyed, since a vampire's soul "is projected into a far more horrible life" after they are truly dead. Category:Characters Category:Vampire Category:Supernatural Beings